Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 96

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1024

USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2 > Part 96

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Ellis F. Orner attended public school in Adams county. He remained with his father, moving to Jacob K. Keefer, son of Baltzer, was born Nov. 15, 1842, in Sunbury, where he has made his home all his life. In his fourteenth year he eommeneed to learn the printing trade, which he has ever sinee followed. On Aug. 19, 1861, Mr. Keefer enlisted in Company C, tith Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- Shamokin with the family, and was employed at the inines also, though not at regular mine work, running an engine most of the time. He was this engaged for a period of eighteen years. In 1899 Mr. Orner began the mercantile business at Gowen City, where he has since been established. He has unteer Infantry, and served a term of three years, not only made an excellent name as a business man, at the close of which he reenlisted for four years but has served his fellow citizens in various public or during the war. He was mustered out Dee. 26, capacities, having been tax eolleetor. and school 1865, at Charleston, S. C, He rose to the rank of lieutenant during his long and faithful service, and in his home locality he is generally referred to director of the township. Socially he is well known in this locality, belonging to the Odd Fellows and the Red Men. the latter organization holding its as "Colonel" Keefer. Upon his retirement from the meetings in the hall above liis store : the Red Men's army he returned to Sunbury and resumed work at his trade, and he has always been a steady-going Band, which includes three of his sons in its mem- bership, also meets there. In political opinion he reliable eitizen, respeeted by all who know him. is a Demoerat. in religion a Lutheran.

He is a Republican in political matters.

Mr. Keefer married Margaret Hafer. daughter of Jolin Hafer, late of Paxinos, Pa., and she died in 188?, aged forty-four years. Four children were when young; the survivors are William F. and Edward, the latter a printer of Sunbury.

William F. Keefer was born Dec. 4, 1866, in Sunbury, and there received his education in the publie schools, graduating from the high school in 1881. On Jan. 16, 1882, he became a telegraph operator in the employ of the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company at Sunbury, continuing in that ca- pacity until Jan. 1, 1887, when he was promoted to

again promoted, to the telegraph department, re- maining there until May 1, 1890, when he was

Mr. Orner married Matilda Koons, daughter of Michael Koons, of Northumberland county, and to them have been born the following children : Olive (married to Amos Frederick), Clara, O. born to Mr. and Mrs. Keefer, two of whom died Ellsworth, Harvey, Charles, William and Evelina.

MARTIN L. HENRY, of Shamokin, Northum- berland county, is a member of the firm of English & Henry, of that borough, importers and jobbers of hosiery, underwear and notions, manufacturers of overalls and shirts.

WILLIAM F. KEEFER, of Sunbury, has been in the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- clerk. He was thus engaged in the superintend- pany from boyhood. and is now chief clerk to the ent's office until May 1st of that year, when he was superintendent. He has been prominent in the municipal life of the borough, where he has been

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made train dispateher. On March 1, 1895. he be- ing children, all now deceased : Peter, who lived in came chief elerk to the train master, and on Aug. 1, Snyder county, Pa .; John, who lived in Lower 1900, chief elerk to the superintendent, in which Mahanoy township; Jeremiah; Abby, Mrs. Daniel Hepner; Mrs. John Howard; Mrs. Mattern, and Mrs. John Wentzel. position he has continmed to serve up to the pres- ent time. His duties have been discharged with ability and efficiency, and he has made a reeord which won the confidence of those that know him to such an extent that he has been well supported in his eandidacy for political office. For six years he was a member of the eonneil of Sunbury, serv- ing as president of that body two years. He is a Republican on political questions. In August, 1900, he became a trustee of the Mary M. Packer hospital, and as previously stated is now seeretary of the board. In every association of life he has been recognized as a man fitted for responsibility, and he has justified the confidence of his fellow- men in his devotion to any work intrusted to him. He is a representative citizen of the borongh in every way. Mr. Keefer has a well selected library, containing a number of valuable works.

On June 21, 1888, Mr. Keefer married Clara M. .Zimmerman, youngest daughter of Peter and Har- riet (Malick) Zimmerman and granddaughter of John and Magdelene (Fetherolf) Zimmerman. They have had five children: Sarah A., Clarence F. (who died Dee. 9, 1898, aged nine years), Ma- bel F. and Myrtle M. (twins) and Helen. Mr. Keefer and his family are members of Zion's Luthi- eran Church at Sunbury. He is a member of the Old Veterans Association of the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company, of Sunbury Lodge No. 203, I. O. O. F., and of the Ancient Order of United Work- men.

Jeremiah Wetzel, son of John, was born in Low- er Mahanoy township. He was a lifelong farmer, in 1840 coming to Lower Augusta township, where he owned and occupied the property which now belongs to his son Isaae, a tract of farm land lying along the Susquehanna river. He built the dwell- ing on that place in 1862, and the barn was put up by Isaac Wetzel in 1900. An intelligent and public-spirited man, he took an interest in the general welfare and served as supervisor of the township. In politics he was a Demoerat, in re- ligion a member of the United Evangelical Asso- ciation. belonging to the church at Herndon. He died in 1878 and is buried in the River cemetery at Fisher's Ferry. (Among the River cemetery records we find a Jeremiah Wetzel who died Feb. 4, 1887, aged seventy-three years, eleven months, twenty-three days; wife Magdalena, born June 29, 1811, died Ang. 1, 1871; second wife, Sarah, died Feb. 2, 1884, aged seventy-three years, three months, three days.) By his wife Mary Magda- lena (Peifer), daughter of John Peifer, Jeremiah Wetzel had a large family, several of whom died young: James lived and died at Sunbury; Levi died at Fisher's Ferry Jan. 22, 1901. aged sixty- five years, eight months. five days (his wife Harriet died April 22, 1901. aged sixty-one years, seven months. one day) ; Lovina married Solomon Glace : Edward is a resident of Indiana ; Wilham died at Sunbury ; Mary married Paul Hollenbach and (second) Solomon Raker: Jeremiah is a resi- dent of Titusville, Pa. : Isaae is mentioned below ; Eliza married Hiram Wayne: Cornelius, born in

MORRIS WETZEL, a young farmer of Lower 'Augusta township who has shown ability and en- terprise in his profitable management of an ex- cellent farm of 100 aeres, was born June 28, 1883, 1849, died in 1863; Henry died young ; Jacob died at Selinsgrove Junction, Northumberland eounty. young. He is a descendant of Jacob Wetzel, a pioneer set- Isaae Wetzel, son of Jeremiah, was born May 19, 1846, in Lower Augusta township, where he is now engaged in farming. He was educated in the publie schools and was reared to farming, con- tinuing to work for his father until he attained his majority. He then began to work on the Northern Central railroad, and for fifteen years was engaged at railroading. At the end of that period he bought his father's homestead and took to farin- ing, which he has followed ever since. His prop- erty contains thirty-eight acres, which he culti- vates systematically, making a good living. He tler of Hereford township. Berks Co., Pa., who made his last will and testament May 8, 1185, and died prior to Nov. 9, 1785, the date the will was probated. He makes ample provision for his "wor- thy" wife, Maria, who survived him. His children were: Jacob, Johannes, George, Philip, Catarina, Peter, Heinrich. Conrad (who was left the large "Bossler" Bible) and Marialiss. One of these sons settled in the Mahantango valley in North- umberland county and founded the branch of the family in which we are interested.

Jolin Wetzel, the great-grandfather of Morris attends the markets occasionally. Mr. Wetzel Wetzel, was an early settler in Lower Mahanoy township, Northumberland eounty, living near the Uniontown road, on a tract now owned by Jon- athan Byerly. He was a Lutheran in religion, and

served his township as school director for six years. In 1875 he married Sarah Reitz, daughter of Abra- ham Reitz, of Swabian Creek. and they have a family of ten children : Samnel H., who married is buried at Zion's (Stone Valley) Church, in Mary Martz: Susan Matilda, who married George Lower Mahanoy, where his wife, whose maiden Olmstead ; George II., who married Susan Daw- name was Leffler, also rests. They had the follow- son; I. Newton, who married May Adams: Mor-

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NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

· ris ; Mary, who married Henry C. DeWitt; Charles Henry Swinehart, born Oct. 31, 1793, died Sept. W., who married Mary Lahr; Walter Ray; Claud 11, 1869; his son Samuel, born in 1823, died in 1875, was a soldier in the Civil war.

Howard, and Catharine. Mr. Wetzel and his fam- ily are members of the Augusta Baptist Church, of which he has been a trustee. In politics he is a Democrat.

Daniel Swinehart, son of John, passed his child- hood and early manhood in Little Mahanoy town- ship, coming thence across the mountain and set- tling in Lower Angusta township, where he passed the remainder of his life engaged in farming. He

Samuel H. Wetzel, son of Isaac, was born May 23, 1876, in Lower Augusta township, and there passed his early life. In 1896 he moved to the owned the place which later passed into the pos- borough of Herndon, where for seven years he session of his son William and is now owned by clerked in the general store of E. C. Adams. In Mr. and Mrs. Morris Wetzel. He is buried at the 1904 he learned the baking business, which he has Briek Intheran and Reformed Church. He mar- sinee continued to follow. He was the first to ried Judith Heilman, daughter of Daniel Heil- enter this line of business in his borough, and he man, and they had these children: Maria. Adam, has made a great success of his enterprise. He has Hannah, William. Judith, and three who died been prominently identified with public affairs young.

William II. Swinebart, son of Daniel, lived in Lower Augusta township. He taught school there (except for one term in Lower Mahanoy) until he reached the age of twenty-five years, and in 1866 engaged in merchandising at Fisher's Ferry, where he continued, in that line, until 1871, when he was burned out, his establishment being a com- plete rnin. In the spring of 1872 he began farmi- ing at the place where his son-in-law, Morris Wet- zel. now lives, and where in 1876 he built the com- fortable dwelling now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Wetzel. He built the barn in 1895. He was a successful man and a most respected citizen, and his death, which occurred Feb. 19, 1906, when he was aged sixty-two years, nine mouths, six days, was regarded as a loss to the community. He is buried at the Angusta Baptist Church.

On May 31, 1868, Mr. Swinchart married Sal- lie Snyder, daughter of Thomas and Esther ( Ran- dall) Snyder, and they had two children: Edwin Boyd, who died in 1843, aged one year. less three days : and Minnie A., wife of Morris Wetzel.

On Feb. 2. 1905. Mr. Wetzel married Minnie A. Swinehart. daughter of William H. and Sal- lie (Snyder) Swinehart. They have no children. Mr. and Mrs. Wetzel are members of the Baptist represented in that neighborhood for many years. Church.

SAMUEL L. WEITZEL, who is employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Sunbury and resides not far from that borough, in Rocke- feller township. comes of a family which has been His great-great-grandfather, John Weitzel, was the first merchant at Sunbury.

John Swinehart, great-grandfather of Mrs. Wet- zel, lived in Little Mahanoy township. on a farm John Weitzel was born Dee. 30. 1752, at Lan- caster, Pa., son of Paul and Charlotte Weitzel. The following is taken from a history of the eomity published some years ago: He obtained a fair education at his native town, and was sent to Phil- adelphia at an early age to learn the business of merchandising. He opened the first store at the In 1900 Enoch Swinehart, a deseendant of John, site of Sunbury in 1971 in a log building near the bank of the river below Market street, and from that time until his death was prominently and re- sponsibly connected with publie affairs. At the organization of Northumberland county in 1772 he was one of its first commissioners. On the 29th now owned by a Deppen. He was a pioneer set- tler in that region, and in 1814, when the first tri- ennial assessment of Little Mahanoy was made, was one of the taxable residents of the township. He and his wife Margaret are buried at Little Maha- noy Church, of which he was a Lutheran member. was the only male member of the congregation bearing the name. To John and Margaret Swine- hart were born the following children : John. who married Betzy Drumheller: Samuel, who never married : Daniel : and Mary, who never marriedl. The Little Mahanos Church records show one of July, 1775, he was commissioned as a justice of

there, has served as borough auditor, and in the spring of 1909 was elected chief burgess, which of- fice he is now filling. Politically he is a Demo- crat, socially a member of the Modern Woodmen, and in religion he and his family are of the Re- formed faith. On Oct. 10, 1902, Mr. Wetzel mar- ried Mary Martz, daughter of Jacob and Emma (Snyder) Martz, and they have two children, Geraldine M. and Charles H.

Morris Wetzel was reared in the usual manner of farm boys and obtained a publie school educa- tion. He worked for his parents until he was four- . teen, after which he continued on the home farm as hired man for six years. The next five years he was employed on the railroad, and in the spring of 1905 began farming where he. now lives, in Lower Angusta township, on a tract of 100 aeres which was formerly the W. H. Swinehart home-

- stead. The farm came into Mr. Wetzel's possession through his marriage into the Swinehart family. He raises general crops, and is adopting the most approved up-to-date methods in his work, which has been highly successful. He is regarded as one of the substantial young citizens of the township.

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the county court; to this office he was recommis- early records show that he received a large share sioned on the 9th of June, 1777, for the term of of the legal business. His talents and patriotism seven years. At the organization of the committee were early recognized. He was a member of the of Safety for Northumberland county, Feb. 8, Provincial Convention of January, 1775, from 1776, he appeared as a member from Augusta Northumberland county. On Feb. 7, 1776, he was township, and participated in the deliberations of elected first major of the battalion of the lower division of the county ; on March 9, 1776, he was appointed captain of a company recruited by him- self at Sunbury, which was attached to Col. Sam- uel Miles's Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment and was the second company formed in Northumberland county. It suffered serious loss at the battle of Long Island, and in consequence of the great mis- fortunes met with there was consolidated with other commands in October and thus lost its in- dividuality. Captain Weitzel returned to Sun -. bury, where he died in 1782. that body until Aug. 13, 1776. In. the Provincial Conterenee of June 18, 1726, he was one of the representatives from Northumberland county; on the 8th of July he was elected to the Constitutional Convention of 1776, and in that body of ninety- six members. "the representative men of the State," he was the youngest delegate : and, as a member of the Council of Safety from July 24, 1776, to March 13, 1776, he participated in its delibera- tions during the first months of the State govern- ment. On the 22d of January, 1776, he qualified as county commissioner, in which office and as jus- John Weitzel, Jr., son of John and Tabitha ( Morris) Weitzel, was born at Sunbury March 24, 1772. He was a merchant and miller there, and in the later years of his life occupied the farm where his son Joseph Weitzel so long resided. He died there Oct. 9, 1835. In politics he was a Whig, and he served as justice of the peace from 1806 to 1830. He married Elizabeth Walters, of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, who was born on the same day that the battle of Germantown was fought. They were the parents of five children, among whom were Joseph and William. tice of the county courts he was actively connected with the conduct of civil affairs in the county dur- ing the Revolution. July 7, 1780, he was com- missioned issuing commissary for this county, and in 1782-84 served as contractor of supplies for the State troops. In this capacity he furnished provisions for the detachments stationed at Fort Rice and in Buffalo Valley in 1982 and the com- panies of Captains Robinson and Shrawder at Wy- oming in 1783-84, performing the duties of his office with promptness, energy and fidelity. He was again commissioned as a justice of the county Joseph Weitzel, son of John Weitzel, Jr., was born Oct. 5, 1808, and lived to be over ninety, dying in March, 1899. He is buried in the South Fourth street cemetery at. Sunbury. A man of energy, executive ability and large interests, he was a citizen of more than ordinary prominence throughout his active years in the district where he resided. He was a millwright and a lifelong miller, operating the mill on Little Shamokin creek, two miles east of Sunbury, in Rockefeller township, along the line of Upper Angusta town- ship, on the property now owned by his grandson. courts June 19, 1789, serving until 1791, and in the autumn of 1789 was elected county commis- sioner for the term of three years. In 1794 he was appointed by act. of the Legislature one of the commissioners for the erection of public buildings at Sunbury, and in this responsible position acted in a public capacity for the last time, as his death occurred in 1799. He was twice married, first to . Tabitha, daughter of John and Rose Morris. of Philadelphia, by whom he had four children : John, Paul, Charlotte and Mary. His second wife was Elizabeth Susanna, daughter of Paul Lebo. of Samuel L. Weitzel. The mill has now been razed. Lancaster, and sister of Henry Lebo, and by her he had three children : George, Elizabeth and Tabitha. At the time of his death John Weitzel resided at a stone dwelling on Market street, sub- sequently kept as a hotel by his family many years. In connection with his business as a merchant he operated a mill two miles east of Sunbury ; it was built by Casper Weitzel, his brother, who died in 1782, and was run successively by his son, John Weitzel, Jr., and liis grandson, Joseph Weitzel. who was long the oldest living representative of the family.

only the ruins marking its site. For fourteen years Mr. Weitzel also ran a distillery. operated a sawmill for a time, and bought and sold grain and lumber. He was a carpenter as well as mill- wright. In fact, his versatility and gift of man- aging various kinds of enterprises made him fa- miliar with many lines. He had a farm of about three hundred acres. A tall, lusty, well propor- tioned man, he had the physical as well as the inental strength necessary to carry his undertak- ings to success. In politics he was an old-line Whig, later a Republican, and in his religious views he was a Intheran.

Casper Weitzel, the brother of John Weitzel mentioned, was the first resident practicing attor- In 1832 Mr. Weitzel married Sarah Woodruff. daughter of John Woodruff, a native of Middle- town, who settled in Rockefeller township. She ney of Northumberland county. He was born in 1748 at Lancaster, was admitted to the bar of Lancaster county in 1769, and in August, 1772, died July 19, 1884, aged over sixty years. Mr. and was admitted to practice at Sunbury, where the

Mrs. Weitzel had the following children : Paul R.,

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formerly of Scranton, now of Philadelphia; John, born Feb. 13, 1840, at Minersville, Schuylkill Co .; deceased : Charles B. ; William ; Lot B., formerly Pa., son of James Howells. of Kansas, now living in Rockefeller township; George B., of Philadelphia ; Lizzie, Mrs. Ellis Vandling; and Joseph, deccased.

James Howells was a native of Wales, and on coming to this country landed at Philadelphia, July 4, 1838. He had followed farming in his own country. Locating at Minersville, Schuylkill Co .. Pa., he engaged in mining, and remained in

William Weitzel, son of Joseph Weitzel, lived on the homestead of his father, in Rockefeller township, now owned by his son Samuel, and fol- that vicinity to the end of his days, dying at Black lowed farming. He died July 14, 1875, at the age of thirty-nine years, a member of the Reformed congregation at Lantz's Church. Mr. Weitzel mar- ried Susan Culp, daughter of Peter Culp, and

Valley; near Mineisville, at the age of fifty-one years. He married Mary Morgan, like himself a native of Wales, who died at Branch Dale, in Schuylkill county. Twelve children were born to seven children were born to them: Emma A. (de- them, only six of whom grew to maturity, namely : ceased ) married S. G. Arnold; Jordan H. is an Anna, who was born in Wales; Watkins, who was engineer on the Sunbury division of the Pennsyl- three months old when the family came to Amer- vania railroad and resides at Rock Glen, Pa. ; Wil- ica: William H .; Rosser, who died while serving in the Civil war; James, who died in Texas; and Benjamin, who died in Colorado. All the sons of this family served in the Civil war and had cred- itable army records.

liam E., who lives at Harrisburg, is a passenger engineer on the Eastern division of the Pennsyl- vania railroad; Samuel L. is mentioned below : David C. is in Cleveland. Ohio; Lizzie J. mar- ried William Renn. of Elizabeth, N. J .: Sarah Gertrude married J. H. Cooper, of Sunbury, a con- ductor on the Sunbury division.

Samuel L. Weitzel was born Nov. 26, 1862, in Rockefeller township, on the Weitzel homestead.

There he grew to manhood, living on the farm and his retirement, in 1908. He was engaged in the working at agricultural pursuits and in his father's mines for sixty years and for one year at outside mill and sawmill until after his marriage. Leav- work. Coming to Shamokin in 1887, he was first ing the home place Sept. 19, 1889, he went to employed here as inside foreman at the Luke Fid-

work in the Pennsylvania Railroad Company's shops at Sunbury. where he has since been em- ployed. Until 1905 he was engaged at car re- pairing, and has since been a piece work inspector, holding a responsible position, which he has proved Himself competent to fill. Except for his interest in the church, Mr. Weitzel has been content to look after his private affairs, having refused offers yond the casting of his vote. IIe is a Republican. He has a nice home two miles east of Sunbury, in Rockefeller township, and owns a 112-acre farm,

of local .office, and taking little part in politics be- but has never been active in public affairs. How-

Mr. Howells is a Republican in political opinion ever, he was a Union sympathizer during the Civil war. in which he served as a member of Company A, 129tli Regiment. Fraternally he is a Mason, a valuable and well cultivated tract, which he has holding membership in Swatara Lodge, No. 267, rented to his son-in-law. He and his family are F. & A. M., of Tremont, Pa. ; in Chapter No. 221, Reformed members of the Lantz Church, which he R. A. M., and in Constantine Commandery, No. served some years as deacon, is now an elder, and 41, K. T., of Pottsville. In religion he is connected for many years was in the church council. He is with the Mennonite Church. also Sunday school superintendent at present.

On April 20, 1881. Mr. Weitzel married Annie Brown, widow of Owen Brown. All of the six E. Bartholomew, daughter of Valentine and children born to this union died young. Mr. and Amelia (Houck) Bartholomew, of Rockefeller Mrs. Howells have their home at No. 17 South township, and they have had seven children : Ethel Seventh street, Shamokin. .B., Mrs. A. B. Culp: Erma G., Mrs. P. H. Grady ; Leo M., who died aged one year. one month, ten

HORACE C. BLUE, JR., special agent at Sun- days; Naomi D .: A. Elizabeth; Miriam ; and a bury for the Pennsylvania Railway Company, is a daughter that died in infancy.

Mr. Howells married Margaret (Prosser)

member of a family long identified with Chillis- quaque township, Northumberland connty, and the adjacent territory in that county and in Montour county.

WILLIAM H. HOWELLS, now living retired in the borough of Shamokin, Northumberland county, was engaged as a miner all his active life, Samuel Blue, his grandfather. was born in Chil- for a period of over sixty years. Mr. Howells was lisqnaque township, son of Isaac Blue, and he lived

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 96

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co. Number of Pages: 1024

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1024